Cats won't sack Johnson

[FoxC]

From the Geelong Advertiser http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2008/01/21/10665_news.html

Cats won't sack Johnson
Jason Shields
21Jan08

GEELONG has ruled out sacking troubled star Steve Johnson in the wake of his latest off-field indiscretion.

Johnson will face the Cats' football department today to explain why he was clocked driving at 128km/h in a 50 zone last Wednesday night on his way to the East Geelong golf course.
The 2007 premiership hero, who was not drinking at the time, is expected to face significant punishment from the club, including an order to participate in a driver's safety course, but will not be sacked from the club.
``Sacking is not in the question,'' Geelong president Frank Costa said yesterday.
``It won't do the boy any good and it won't do the club any good. We have just got to make sure the punishment is right. This has hit him so hard that I would be surprised if we heard of any trouble from Steve Johnson in the future.''
Johnson was warned he was on his last chance with the football club last year after he was arrested in Wangaratta for being drunk in a public place on Christmas Eve, 2006.

The 24-year-old forward was banished from the senior team until round six, but famously returned to earn All-Australian selection and win the 2007 Norm Smith Medal in the Cats' 119-point premiership win.
Costa admitted Johnson's latest charge was a major setback for both the player and the club.
``He has put us in a tough spot,'' Costa said.
``He had just worked so hard to win back the respect of supporters and the club last year and that is why this is so out of the blue, so totally unexpected.
``But this one has hit him really hard. I think his expression was that he had a `brain fade'. He is just feeling terrible.
``I think he was running a bit late, going to practise some putting with Shannon Byrnes before it got dark and there was nobody in the gardens, but that does not excuse driving at that speed. There could have been someone riding a push bike or anything. He just finds it hard to explain why he was so reckless and silly, but he has to face that now.''
Despite reports in the Melbourne media yesterday that Johnson would be facing the board today, Costa said the board would be leaving the matter to the football department.
``We are very happy with the football department and the leadership group led by Tom Harley to handle this situation,'' the president said.
``When you have people like Tom Harley, Mark Thompson, Steve Hocking and Neil Balme, you have got some mature brains who we have complete faith in to do the right thing.
``They will come back to the board once they have made a decision. They have taken the weekend to consider it all.
``But sacking will not be an option. That boy has tried so hard to do everything right and there was no alcohol involved this time, which was a major consideration for the club.
``Steve is a really likeable guy, who boarded with two friends of mine, Rod and Liz Rierdon, for two years and ever since then he has always gone around there for dinner once a week. They can't speak highly enough of him. That is why what has happened has been do disappointing.''

Please note that I have changed the highlights of the article to italics.

That Steve won't be sacked is probably already predicted by most Geelong fans and football observers in general. The question is what the penalty will be.

As Frank said, sacking him won't do the player or the club any good. Despite his image as an occasional cowboy, I really believe that Steve is a decent boy who does not want to lose the hard-earned respect of his teammates and the club, and that this latest misdemeanour is out of character due to a lapse ofjudgment. Don't get me wrong, it was silly for him to speed but there was no alcohol involved.

Hopefully this will shut up the few hypocrites from other clubs on this board who have been baying for his blood.

 

[carntheroos4eva]

they don't need to sack him. It would look bad if they did.
You don't see any of the other teams sacking their players all because of driving offences.

 

[Mooney_d'King]

Good good. No surprises there.

 

[cancat]

Huge fine I imagine.

 

[winty]

From the Geelong Advertiser http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2008/01/21/10665_news.html



Please note that I have changed the highlights of the article to italics.

That Steve won't be sacked is probably already predicted by most Geelong fans and football observers in general. The question is what the penalty will be.

As Frank said, sacking him won't do the player or the club any good. Despite his image as an occasional cowboy, I really believe that Steve is a decent boy who does not want to lose the hard-earned respect of his teammates and the club, and that this latest misdemeanour is out of character due to a lapse ofjudgment. Don't get me wrong, it was silly for him to speed but there was no alcohol involved.

Hopefully this will shut up the few hypocrites from other clubs on this board who have been baying for his blood.

I won't hold my breath about that.

 

[Bryceson]

not surprised.....

 

[AM]

Anybody who seriously thought we would sack the Norm Smith medalist and arguably the best half forward flanker going around should be committed. It wouldn't have been given a nano seconds consideration.

 

[Copernicus]

Well, colour me surprised there!

I can't believe anyone would have seriously entertained the idea of sacking him - aside from envious supporters from other clubs who would want to poach him!

 

[re cat]

Press conference at 1.30 today.

SEN there live.

 

[Captain_Knowall]

Absolute star and was never gonna get sacked... I do wonder if he actually has a brain though?

What would have the ramifications been if it was a David Johnson for instance?

 

[CF]

Absolute star and was never gonna get sacked... I do wonder if he actually has a brain though?

What would have the ramifications been if it was a David Johnson for instance?

no-one deserves to be sacked for a speeding ticket, regardless of who you are.

 

[Duskfire]

Precisely. Repeatedly speeding maybe - but one speeding ticket, no one would get sacked for that. Even a cop wouldn't get sacked for that, and they are the ones who are meant to be upholding the law.

 

[re cat]

Cookie, Jonno and Tommy all doing the talking.
Community service. 50 hours.

 

[WC Eagles FC]

Anybody who seriously thought we would sack the Norm Smith medalist and arguably the best half forward flanker going around should be committed. It wouldn't have been given a nano seconds consideration.

We sacked a Brownlow medallist/Premiership player and one of the top 3 midfielders in the game and our club will do it again.

It hurts at the time but now I can see why.

Take it from an Eagles fan who is enjoying his first controversy free summer in a while - bad eggs stay bad eggs. They dont change. We thought Cuz would and he didnt and what they do is put rot through the rest of the team.

 

[CF]

We sacked a Brownlow medallist/Premiership player and one of the top 3 midfielders in the game and our club will do it again.

It hurts at the time but now I can see why.

Take it from an Eagles fan who is enjoying his first controversy free summer in a while - bad eggs stay bad eggs. They dont change. We thought Cuz would and he didnt and what they do is put rot through the rest of the team.

so a speeding fine is on a par with using illegal drugs now. If speeding makes you a bad egg then I have to confess I must be a bad egg and most of the people I know must be bad eggs just like cuz

you are drawing a very long bow there mate

 

[Herbs]

Haha, brilliant, comparing Cousins to Stevie J. Just total brilliance, I love it.

 

[Ninty]

We sacked a Brownlow medallist/Premiership player and one of the top 3 midfielders in the game and our club will do it again.

It hurts at the time but now I can see why.

Take it from an Eagles fan who is enjoying his first controversy free summer in a while - bad eggs stay bad eggs. They dont change. We thought Cuz would and he didnt and what they do is put rot through the rest of the team.

You can't be serious?

 

[bigrayohall20]

Geelong couldve easily given Johnson the easy way out with a fine. I think they have done the right thing by giving him community service. And a good amount too.

 

[pendles]

You can't be serious?

Serious as a road crash at 78km/h above the speed limit.

 

[WC Eagles FC]

so a speeding fine is on a par with using illegal drugs now. If speeding makes you a bad egg then I have to confess I must be a bad egg and most of the people I know must be bad eggs just like cuz

you are drawing a very long bow there mate

Agreed it is a long bow and not directly comparing just he has played up a couple of times and just saying seen first hand what bad eggs do to football clubs. Hate to see you guys go through the hell we went through thats all.

Plus imagine if a child ran out in front of the car when he was doing that speed through the 50 zone - least Cuz is only hurting himself with his addiction!!

 

[CF]

Agreed it is a long bow and not directly comparing just he has played up a couple of times and just saying seen first hand what bad eggs do to football clubs. Hate to see you guys go through the hell we went through thats all.

Plus imagine if a child ran out in front of the car when he was doing that speed through the 50 zone - least Cuz is only hurting himself with his addiction!!

now don't get me wrong here I am not saying that what dog did was ok. It wasn't. But where he was speeding was in parklands at night that were deserted most likely. I just think people are getting a little too emotional about it when they start saying "Think of the children!" Take a chill pill and don't get sucked in by the hype over this non issue. The club has dealt a suitable punishment and he will most likely lose his license. Justice has been done. I am sure things like this happen often where dog was booked as why would the cops be sitting there if it wasn't known for drivers speeding down that road. Again, doesn't excuse dog for what he did, but mate we all speed at some stage and we all get caught every now and then. That doesn't mean we and dog deserve the kind of crap that people like you are dishing up. Sorry didn't mean this to turn into a rant.

 

[CatFan79]

I love how all these supporters are calling for Johnson's sacking... Like they wouldn't do anything they could to have him at their clubs.

Give it up and get over it.. He was caught speeding and will lose his license for a year... and yes, he will continue to make your defenders look half-rate..

 

[hbk_aus]

Agreed it is a long bow and not directly comparing just he has played up a couple of times and just saying seen first hand what bad eggs do to football clubs. Hate to see you guys go through the hell we went through thats all.

Plus imagine if a child ran out in front of the car when he was doing that speed through the 50 zone - least Cuz is only hurting himself with his addiction!!

Without wanting to turn this into a Dr Phil special, is that what u really think, that he is only hurting himself? What about his family? His friends?

 

[hbk_aus]

Serious as a road crash at 78km/h above the speed limit.

As serious as drink-driving...as serious as hanging out with a dangerous gunman...as serious as hitting a woman...as serious as assaulting a taxi driver....Collingwood serious.

 

[CF]

there are a lot of hypocrites posting about this and I am starting to get sick of some of these dumb comments. Future dumb comments are going to be deleted and if opposition posters coninue then infractions will be handed out as this is starting to look a lot like trolling to me.